Sitting top of the Premier League ahead of their return from the winter break, Liverpool are now reportedly looking to get one over on title rivals Arsenal by beating them to the signature of a player who could put an end to the Reds’ injury crisis.
Liverpool ins and outs
Whilst Liverpool are yet to welcome any fresh faces this month, instead focusing on departures such as Fabio Carvahlo on loan to Hull City, they have been linked with some hefty moves. According to reports, Liverpool are among the clubs interested in Bruno Guimaraes, who could yet leave Newcastle United amid their need to abide by the Premier League’s profit and sustainability rules. Meanwhile, the Reds have reportedly joined the race for Douglas Luiz in another move that would complete their midfield rebuild once and for all.
However, with both Kostas Tsimikas and Andy Robertson currently sidelined through injury, what Liverpool really need is another left-back, or at least another versatile figure like Joe Gomez. As things stand, it is Gomez filling in, which means that Jurgen Klopp is without a senior back-up on the opposite flank in the absence of Trent Alexander-Arnold. To solve a growing crisis, the Reds could now turn to the market for a solution.
According to Football Transfers, Liverpool have opened talks to sign Rayan Ait-Nouri from Wolverhampton Wanderers, who are looking for over £50m if they are to sanction the sale of the left-back this month. Liverpool aren’t the only interested party either, with Arsenal reportedly seeing their approach knocked back and deemed short of Wolves’ valuation.
Whilst Ait-Nouri’s exit seems more likely in the summer, Liverpool or Arsenal could yet force Wolves’ hand with a tempting offer before the end of the January transfer window.
“Fantastic” Ait-Nouri has outperformed Tsimikas this season
In the absence of Robertson, it was Tsimikas filling in down the left-hand side up until he suffered an injury of his own against Arsenal last month. And although the Greek international did an adequate job, Ait-Nouri’s stats show that it is the Wolves man who has impressed the most when compared to the current Liverpool left-back.
|
Player |
Progressive Carries |
Progressive Passes |
Blocks |
Tackles Won |
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Rayan Ait-Nouri |
31 |
53 |
15 |
22 |
|
Kostas Tsimikas |
21 |
31 |
9 |
13 |
That said, Ait-Nouri’s rise makes the previous praise of former captain Conor Coady no surprise. The former Wolves defender told the club’s official website: “He’s really sharp. He turns you inside out. He’s got bags of tricks. It’s important we try and help him settle in as much as possible. He’s a young boy coming from a different country. He’s a fantastic person, he’s brilliant to have around the place, and it’s up to us as teammates and friends to make him settle as quickly as possible and hopefully we’ll keep on going.”
Currently at the African Cup of Nations with Algeria, any deal this month may prove to be a complicated one for Ait-Nouri and potentially Liverpool, who are already without star man Mohamed Salah and summer signing Wataru Endo, who is at the Asian Cup with Japan this month.